Food bank donation -"something to make our clients smile"

[shuffleofftobuffalo]

This is on the list from the food bank my DD's school is working with for harvest festival - what sort of items do you think it means? Love the idea of putting something treat-y in addition to the food we'll donate.

Treat food I think

Nice biscuits or cereal bars
Mini multipacks of cereal
Sweets for Halloween
Fancy tea or hot chocolate mix

Seasonal smelling shower gel (Aldi did a fab Lush Snow Fairy dupe and Radox ones are lovely too - always told it’s a tiny luxury and not everyone can afford to heat the water for baths)
advent calendars
either Halloween or Christmas treats (bags of coins are fab)
Mint Terrys choc ‘oranges’
fluffy socks
hot chocolate that can be made with just water or as my mum calls them ‘fluffy coffees’ flavoured instant latte sachets
coffee syrups (b&m have one shot sugar free concentrated ones in vanilla and caramel etc)
character kids toothbrushes and flavoured toothpaste
little hand creams or pocket perfumes (again, Aldi has the mini dupes in) or lip balms
make your own bauble kits or Christmas card sets
curly wurlys were always appreciated!
colouring books and colouring pencils and a pencil sharpener
hair brushes, bobbles, sparkly slides, glittery scrunchies
basically any little luxury that we take for granted that would make someone feel a little more loved, even if it’s by a complete stranger they’ll never meet.

I would approach it as covering a want not a need. I would go with either a sweet treat or a luxury essential toiletries.

I like to think of it as something that would be appreciated by am exhausted and stressed out fellow mum who is struggling to keep her head above water and is probably going hungry to provide for her kids. Maybe a box of grownup chocolates? Some nice chocolate biscuits. Nice smelling conditioner (because having to go without conditioner makes you feel grim).

Also for food banks never scrimp on sugar or calories because that might be all they eat that day. E.g. if getting hot chocolate sachets don't get the low calories ones, go for the full on sugar.

Something a bit indulgent I guess, food for pleasure not just calories

Fancy Biscuits, nice jams/lemon curd/chocolate spread

Hot chocolate and marshmallows

Some fun flavours of crisps

decent shower gel or hand cream

End of the two child cap.

I work with several Foodbanks. I was actually asking some of the volunteers this recently as when I do supermarket collections people often ask me what the treat item should be. In our area - London, high levels of demand - it’s definitely spreads of any description. Jams, peanut butter, Nutella or similar - very, very popular. Can be added to rice puddings, porridge, on toast, crumpets etc (all of which can be done with v basic cooking facilities). Very versatile. HTH.

Bath bombs!

Or a nice kiddy bubble bath - my kids love Matey, a simple pleasure

Leibniz biscuits 😍

I always get my kids to pick some treats to put in, things they really like be it some new flavour of crisps to some Tunnock’s tea cakes. I like the hot chocolate idea too.

@HerculesMulligannn spreads is such a good idea! And I imagine the higher end ones feel more so - you’ve inspired me to add those to my next food bank shop.

Nice soap - even a bar of pears can feel fancier than value soap especially the lemongrass and mint ones.

Quality body lotion.

Manicure / pedicures kits with hand and feet creams.

Fancy syrups / cordials.

Higher end teabags and coffee granules.

Boxes of chocolates.

Hot water bottles with covers - the longer ones are really useful.

Things I would consider:

• lip balm
• shower gel
• hair conditioner
• nice-smelling general purpose moisturiser
• multipack of mini bags of haribo and other multipacks of sweeties (can be split up) and including Hallowe'en themed
• individually wrapped little cakes (things like Soreen slices)
• interesting biscuits
• bottles of hot sauces (can really help give otherwise bland food a bit of a kick)
• hot chocolate that just needs boiling water
• marmite
• bags of nuts/crisps etc inc the multipacks of the little bags of things like twiglets and cheddars

This. I would definitely do some halloween sweets

Haven't seen these listed so I'll add cake/cookie mixes that need minimal extra ingredients, if you look at the packets some just need water. And the ready made icing. Good for anyone who has a birthday coming up, I've done a few 'party packs' before with balloons, banners, cake mixes, icing, cake candles, party hats, streamers. They don't cost much to put together but I think if someone had a kids birthday coming up, it would be be nice to be able to do something a bit celebratory. My understanding is the food bank sets them aside until they know someone has a birthday coming up.

Our local food bank ask people to donate Xmas dinner hampers, so a complete Xmas dinner from store cupboard ingredients and any nice extras you can, stuff like:

Frey bentos roast chicken pie / tin of stewing steak
Tinned peas and carrots
Tinned potatoes
Gravy mix
Stuffing mix
Cranberry sauce
Xmas pudding
Custard

Then I usually add
Biscuits
Festive crisps
Pancake/waffle mix and porridge pot for breakfast
Crackers
Some kind of savoury sandwich spread for the crackers
Chocolate Xmas tree decorations
Nice jam
Mince pies or mini Yule logs

I'd assume something that feels like a treat. So could be as simple as getting the nice loo roll instead of the cheaper stuff. Personally I'd suggest a pack of the nice biscuits from m+s as a biscuit a day would be a great pick me up.

I have given the sachets of coffee that just need hot water adding, lattes and cappuccinos etc. It would feel like a small treat as coffee out might not be affordable and doesn’t need milk or sugar adding.

Always donate a few chocolate advent calendars in late october or early November - don't leave it too late as it can take a couple of weeks between something being donated and being distributed so if you donate them later on in November they may not make it to distribution before December.

Bags of sweets
Chocolate bars
luxury biscuits

Is it really so hard imagining being on the bones of your arse that you have to ask this question?

You really can't do differentiating between want or need?

Or are you virtue signalling?

Virtue signalling on an anonymous website?! Bit of a reach.

Some previous posters have given really in depth helpful lists with things I wouldn't have thought of, I'm not very imaginative and often don't manage to get nice things in my own shop let alone for someone else.

A box of tissues.

Have you ever had a cold and had to use toilet paper?

A pack of Xmas cards.

little treats for children, the type you would put in a party bag.

Perfume / aftershave samples.

Facial wipes / baby wipes in case you don't have hot water to wash with.

The spreads is a great idea. @HerculesMulligannn would you include things like meat spreads? I know they can't be used in porridge but can still be spread on a lot of things.

I also think things like chutney / pickles / olives. They are not an essential and can easily brighten a meal and not everyone has a sweet tooth.

We always do a foodbank shop on payday. We always buy some treat things as well as the more practical stuff. Last time I got some milky ways and some jam if I remember rightly. I’m off to the supermarket tomorrow so I’m going to take some ideas from this thread 🥰

Haribo sweets for children some decent biscuits for grown ups. In preparation for Christmas I would donate selection boxes and advent calendars. Toiletries - some nice body butters and nice smelling body washes such as treacle moon

If you have only a kettle, toaster & shower, then something usable here.

Sweets or chocolates
cakes or biscuits
Nice deodorants/body sprays
Dry shampoo
Hand cream

Luxury sweet or savoury treats
Quilted toilet paper
Nice toiletries
Premium tinned goods

Would be the things that spring to mind.